Vehicle bed construction



June 24-, 1941; A PRESTON 2,246,813

VEHICLE BED CONSTRUCTION Filed April 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 24,194-1. 1.. A. PRESTON VEHICLE BED CONSTRUCTION Filed April 5, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24, 1941 "UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE2,246,813 vers ons 31 n qoNs'rRUoTIoN Laurence A Preston, Houston, Tex.i etiw Ami! '3 1939, Sea! s 2 5.6 2

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a vehicle bed construction and particularly aconstruction utilized in combination with the turtle deck of anautomotive vehicle body whereby a temporary bed may be readily provided.

The invention contemplates the provision of an extension to the turtledeck or luggage compartment of an automobile body, support meanstherefor, and a canopy adapted to be secured about the periphery of theextension and extend upwardly over the compartment cover or door, whichserves to support the canopy.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a vehicle bed whichmay be readily assembled and disassembled and which will occupy aminimum of space when stored for travel.

Another object is to provide a vehicle bed construction which utilizes aturtle deck extension to which is attached a canopy supported by thedoor or cover for the turtle deck compartment.

Another object is to provide a novel construction for supporting theturtle deck extension during assembly with the fixed deck and also whenusing the construction as a bed.

Still another object is to provide a vehicle bed including a canopypassing over and supported by the open door or cover of the turtle deckor luggage compartment.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view through the rear end of a coupe bodyillustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a vehicle with canopy removed to show thesupport construction.

Fig. 3 is a side assembly view of the device of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the extension deck illustrating the mannerofattachment of the extension to the turtle deck of the vehicle.

In Fig. l the invention is illustrated in combination with a vehiclebody I having a luggage compartment 2 rearwardly of the verticle wall 3.The compartment 2 is provided with a floor or deck 4 above the sparetire compartment 5 having a nether floor 6. The door or cover 1 ishinged to the body at 8 and lifts upwardly to open the compartment 2.This cover is held uppermost or in open position by means of a latchingmechanism 9 which is pivotally connected to the body and cover at H! andII, respectively.

In order to provide a bedding surface of sumcient length to accommodatea person, a deck extension I2, of a width to enter the opening [3 in thevehicle body is provided. This extension and the deck 4 are providedwith complementary connector members l4, best shown in Fig. 4 as hingemembers having removable pintles IS.

The rear bumper 20 has inverted V-shaped support and guard members 2|,upon which the extension l2 may be substantially balanced while thecomplementary elements of the connectors l4 are brought into matingrelation for insertion of the pintles l5. Thereafter the members 2|continue to serve as support for the extension l2. Additional supportfor extension I2 is provided in an arm 25 which is pivotally attached tothe nether surface of the extension at 26. The opposite end of this armis releasably attached to a support 21 on the floor of the spare tirecompartment 5. If desired this arm may be swung downwardly to theposition shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1 so that the outer end of thedeck extension will be supported directly from the roadway 28 upon whichthe vehicle stands.

The deck extension I2 is provided with an upwardly extending end rail 29and side rails 3|], the former of these rails being securely held inplace by means of angles 3! and 32.

An enclosure for the bed 33 is provided by canopy 34 which is supportedupon the cover 1. The forward end of this canopy has fasteners 40 whichmay be secured to the vehicle body as by the bracket of lamp 4|. Theside wall 45 fits closely adjacent the sides of the compartment 2 andare tightly held in place by straps 46 attached to the bumper support41. The side walls also have an opening 48 in which a suitable netting49 is fixed, a rolled flap 5|] being provided so that the side wall maybe completely closed. Rearwardly of the opening or window 48 is avertical slit 5| which may be closed by means of hookless fastener 52 orother suitable closure means.

The rearward wall 55 of the canopy 34 is also provided with an openingcovered with a netting 56 and a roll flap 5'! so that such opening maybe kept open or closed as desired. The sidewalls surrounding the deckextension 12 are provided with snaps, buttons, or the like, so thatthese walls may be attached to the deck extension.

In assembling and using the described construction, the cover 1 islifted to open position and extension 12 is fixed in place. The cover 1is then lowered and a canopy is placed thereover and secured to thevehicle body and the extension I2 as indicated. With fastener 52 open,access is had to the cover I which is lifted to its uppermost positionto stretch the canopy into position for use. It is to be understood that5 the bed 33 upon the deck 4 andthe extension I 2 may be made up eitherbefore or after the canopy 34 is in position.

While specific details of the construction have been described, it isunderstood that the invention is not confined thereto, but broadlycomprehends a vehicle bed construction which is readily assembled anddisassembled and which will occupy a minimum amount of space when storedfor travel.

The invention claimed is:

A vehicle body including upper and lower spaced decks thereon, a deckextension detachably connected to said upper deck at its rear edge andnormally detached from the upper deck and resting thereon, support meanson the vehicle rearwardly of the upper deck adapted to support theextension while such extension is being connected to and disconnectedfrom the upper deck, a cover hinged to said body and normally enclosingsaid decks, said upper deck and extension, when opened, extending in acommon plane, means on said lower deck to support the outer end of saidextension, a canopy enclosure secured at one end to said body, enclosingsaid cover and secured at the other end to said extension, means tosupport said cover in open position, and a hookless fastener in the sidewall to permit ingress and egress to and. from said enclosure, saidupper deck and extension forming a self-contained unit enclosed by saidcanopy.

LAURENCE A. PRESTON.

